Learning to Know
by LittleLonnie
Summary: Short story based on the movie and on the deleted scene We Can Learn A Lot From Each Other between Eragon and Murtagh


**Title:** Learning to Know 

**Author:** LoNnI

**Genre:** Drama, friendship, humor

**Characters:** Murtagh and Eragon (tiny bit of Arya and Saphira)

**Disclaimer:** The characters from the book is all Christopher Paolinis, while the deleted scene this story is based on belongs to 20th Century Fox

**Summary:** Short story based on the movie and on the deleted scene "We Can Learn A Lot From Each Other" between Eragon and Murtagh

**Notes:** The story is just one-shot and is pretty much following the scene as it goes, but with a bit added parts and what they're thinking. I MAY write another part of this, not really a second chapter, but writing another scene from the movie deeper. Anyway please forgive me for the errors!

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Eragon rode slowly through the thick forest, often having to lean down on his horse' neck so he wouldn't have branches slapping him. Once in a while he would look behind him to see if the new stranger still was following him or had ran off with Brom's horse. Murtagh was following some meters after, him being taller then Eragon seemed to just stay down by the horse neck. Saphira was way off in the sky with Arya clinging to her back. They rode for hours without speaking and the forest seemed never ending. It was when the forest began to open up a little and the branches vanished out of their way that Murtagh spoke up. 

"Hey rider! Eragon was it?" Murtagh hurried his horse forward so he was right behind Eragon.

"Yeah?" Eragon turned around to look at the dark clothed guy following. The first impression of Murtagh had been that he was a happy little squirrel of a boy that had been naughty and ran away from home, but now that impression seemed to vanish. He had a mysterious look on his face and whenever Eragon looked at him in wonder he would just lift an eyebrow and look away.

"Do you kno... Watch out!" Murtagh reached out a hand and pointed to something in front of the dragon rider. Eragon quickly spun around, but before he could see what was in front of him, a branch slapped him in the face. It wasn't strong enough to throw him off the horseback, but the horse got spooked by the sudden loud cursing from Eragon and jumped forward. Eragon then lost his balance and crashed to the ground. He thought he could hear a outburst of laughter from Murtagh, but it was cut short by his own hands. Eragon growled angry and stumbled to his legs.  
"What are you laughing at?" Eragon grumbled and looked at the dark rider that came up beside him.

"I'm not laughing" Murtagh smiled at the same time as he seemed to chock down the laughter. Eragon eyed him before shaking his head, turning around and smiled in despite of himself. He felt a little bit of blood tickle down the side of his cheek, but it was just a small cut.

"Was that planned or something?" Eragon took his horse' reigns and turned to look at Murtagh, who was still riding after him. Murtagh couldn't help but release a snorting sound.  
"I told you to watch out" he grinned. Eragon just snorted back and led the horse on. This Murtagh was strange, yet seemed to be less strict like Brom and could maybe, just maybe turn out to be a good traveling partner.

They finally came to the outskirts of the forest that evening. There were a small rocky hill that they decided to camp beside and from there they had view over the plain in front of them - as long as the sun was up. Saphira landed with Arya and they quickly checked on the elf before laying her down near a fire Murtagh had made. They didn't communicate much before later when they sat by the bonfire.  
"What did you do in Daret?" Eragon was the first to break the silence and looked at Murtagh through the fire.

"What did you do?" Murtagh glanced sideways at the blond boy. Eragon wanted to tell him that he asked first, but he was sure that would just end up in a never ending verbal fight to get the other to answer first.  
"It's secret" Eragon smiled satisfied to himself with that answer,  
"And you?" he tried again.  
"It's a secret" Murtagh answered back without looking up from the little bowl of soup he had. When Eragon made no response he looked up and see the annoyed look on his face. Eragon stood up and came to sit nearer Murtagh.

"You like joking around huh?" Eragon wanted to challenge this guy.  
"Not really. But... What's so secret about going to a town to buy materials to make a dragon saddle?" Murtagh laughed a little about the whole situation. None of them were really trusting each other.

"How did you know that?" Eragon looked amused at Murtagh, but Murtagh himself just looked back with an eyebrow higher then the other.  
"Well either I can read peoples minds... or it might be Brom carrying a bunch of leather materials to your dragon" Murtagh smiled when he finally managed to receive one from Eragon.  
"You really don't trust me do you?" he let the empty bowl drop to the ground beside him. Eragon didn't answer, but sent Murtagh a look that he guess mean either something like "I'm getting there" or "I will be dead before that happens".

"Wait. You knew Brom?" Eragon's head shot up and stared at the other boy. Murtagh looked suddenly uncomfortable and stood up.  
"I just knew of him" Murtagh answered quietly and walked over to the place where he wanted to sleep.

"No wait now a little. How do you know if him?" Eragon looked over at Saphira, who was apparently sleeping and then returned his gaze to where Murtagh now lay.  
"It's a secret" Murtagh answered quietly, slowly followed by a tiny smile. Eragon restrained himself from continuing with the questions and went to find himself a place to sleep. He found a bundle of clothing which he laid on the ground before laying himself over, with zar'roc safely by his side.

Eragon was awaken in the middle of the night by the sound of someone pulling a sword out of it's shealth and he automatically reached out for zar'roc, but his hand landed on empty ground. He blinked a few times to get the sleep out of his eye and then he saw the tall form of Murtagh nearby, swinging the red sword around with an amused look on his face.

"Don' be fooled by it's beauty" Eragon said quietly and he could see that he surprised Murtagh a bit. He stood up, but the dark haired boy backed away a bit and looked at the sword in his hands again. In the dull light from the dying flames from the bonfire, Eragon noticed a mixture of fear and admiration in Murtagh eyes. It made the young rider wonder if the other man knows the sword's story.  
"It's done it's share of killing" Eragon continued, but Murtagh kept the sword in front of him and smiled a little.

"I've never held the sword of a rider before" Murtagh finally answered, not taking his eyes off zar'roc. He gripped tighter around the handle.  
"Strong in the grip" slowly he let one hand slide along the red blade,  
"Sharp blade" he played around with it like an expert and it became rather obvious that this man knows what he's doing.

"Ohh, I can get used to this" his smile was priceless, but Eragon got an unexplainable foreboding feeling over his words.

"Don't" Eragon stepped closer to Murtagh again and reached out a hand for the sword. Murtagh looked at Eragon with amused eyes before finally handing it over. Eragon took it quickly and returned it to the shealth.

"Not the sharing type I see" Eragon stopped up in his movements and turned back again to see a big smile on Murtagh's face. Not being in mood for jokes, Eragon simply turned his back on Murtagh again.

"We can learn a lot from each other. You can teach me the secret skills of the dragon riders" Murtaghs' grin widened even more at the look he received from Eragon.

"And what can I learn from you?" Eragon asked in a mocking tone, offending Murtagh a bit. But the eldest of the two didn't let it show too well and knew exactly what answer to give to the cocky boy.  
"The art of staying alive" the smile on Murtaghs lips blended in with a more serious face. The cocky smile on Eragons lips vanished as well as he thought of Murtaghs answer. The dark haired boy turned his back on him and returned to his sleeping place.

The next morning started without a word uttered. Arya was no better, Saphira was waiting impatiently at the boys while they cleaned up after them. They rode a while in silence over the field, Murtagh leading them. Arya was again on Saphira's back far over their heads. When near midday Eragon steered his horse up beside Murtagh and they rode side by side.  
"So. Why are you so interested in my sword?" Eragon looked sideways at Murtagh as they let the horses walk in a calm pace.

"It has a dark past. Besides it's not really yours" Murtagh answered, but kept looking around them instead. The wind ruffled their hair comfortably.  
"It was Brom's" Eragon kind of lied, unsure of how much Murtagh knew.  
"Wrong again, rider. I know you know that it's the sword of Morzan" now Murtagh turned and looked at Eragon with a smart-ass smile playing on his lips.  
"How do you know about that?" Eragon returned the look. This made Murtagh release a little laughter.  
"Common. Everyone knows the history of the dragon riders. Morzan was a beast of a man who killed his fellow riders and dragons with that sword. You don't forget the story of such a hideous man" Murtaghs words came out like venom and took Eragon by surprise.  
"You seem to know more about this than I do. How come?" Eragon studied Murtagh's face for answers.  
"Stories" Murtagh answered shorty and looked quickly back at the rider before he set his horse into a slow gallop. Eragon is quick to follow.  
"Hey! There's something you're not telling me!" Eragon managed to make his own horse galopp beside Murtagh big, black one.  
"It might be, but you have no need in knowing that now" Murtagh raised his voice a bit for the rider to hear,  
"And look. We're nearly there! The volcano" he pointed at the mountain rising up in the distant.  
"Told you I would get you there" Murtagh continued. Eragon nodded.  
"You did"  
"Ready to trust me soon, rider?" Murtagh smirked to Eragon. He doesn't answer back but returned the smile.

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So what do ya think? This story came out weird to me, but I hope you like it XD 


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